ALAMEDA — Raiders cornerback DJ Hayden showed he could tread water when thrown into the deep end of the pool. Next up is swimming against a tidal wave.

Making a couple of plays against Russell Wilson is one thing, but playing a major role in a potentially injury-ravaged secondary while facing Peyton Manning is asking a lot for any cornerback, let alone one who is just two games into a re-start of his career.

With Carlos Rogers missing practice with a knee injury and TJ Carrie out with a bad ankle, Hayden will rarely be off the field when the Raiders host the Denver Broncos on Sunday at O.co Coliseum.

Hayden is coming off a career-high 71 snaps against Seattle, a game in which he allowed two short completions and had two near-interceptions, one a potential touchdown return. He was around the ball more than at any time in an abbreviated eight-game rookie season that ended with a sports hernia and surgery.

“It was progress getting my hands on the ball a little bit, but I should have made some plays,” Hayden said Wednesday. “There’s a lot of stuff I’ve got to clean up technique-wise. I’m just glad I was out there giving our defense an opportunity to do something.” Even two costly penalties came with silver linings. He was stride for stride with Jermaine Kearse on a debatable 36-yard pass interference penalty, which teammate Charles Woodson contended should never have drawn a flag.

A 15-yard taunting penalty was poor judgment, but it came an instant after he leveled Kearse with a sideline hit — something Hayden never did as a rookie. Hayden had played only five snaps on defense the previous week, his first game back after coming off the physically unable to perform list.

“I was just caught up in my emotions,” Hayden said. “I was excited about the hit.”

Denver, with Manning and wide receivers Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Wes Welker, plus tight end Julius Thomas, has the most explosive passing offense in the NFL, and the Raiders have been Manning’s personal playground.

In four games against the Raiders with the Broncos, Manning has completed 81.3 percent of his passes for 1,288 yards, 11 touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 128.7.

In the one game Hayden played against Denver last season, Manning was 32 of 37 for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Hayden had nothing but a handful of missed tackles.

The Raiders first-round draft pick out of Houston, Hayden already has been written off a as bust by a segment of the fan base, as well as the national media. His near-fatal injury in college, a torn interior vena cava, as well as a remarkable recovery and then a succession of injuries, has been well-documented.

While Hayden rehabbed from last year’s sports hernia’s and then foot surgery during the offseason, he stayed busy in the weight room. He is much stronger in the upper body, as evidenced by his hit against Kearse.

“He’s changed his body,” Raiders coach Tony Sparano said. “He’s done a good job that way in terms of him stripping down, then building himself back up. He’s a bigger, stronger player than he was prior to coming here.”

Offensive tackle Menelik Watson, a kindred spirit in that he had his rookie season wiped out by injury issues after being drafted in the second round, gave Hayden a hard time about the dropped pick-six but is delighted to see him on the field.

“As a second-round pick, I know the scrutiny I got for my situation,” Watson said. “I can only imagine what it was like for DJ,” Watson said. “DJ didn’t ask for those injuries, and I never asked for mine. It happens. I think DJ is about to prove to everyone why he was a first-round talent.”

Starting left guard Gabe Jackson missed practice with a knee injury, working with trainers briefly off to the side. “I wouldn’t classify it as serious, but whether or not he plays this week we’ll have to see how it goes,” Sparano said. Others who did not practice included tight end David Ausberry (foot) and cornerback Chimdi Chekwa (hamstring).

Receiver Vincent Brown participated fully in practice after missing a month with a hamstring strain.

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